What cancer were you diagnosed with?

melanoma

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What age were you diagnosed?

25

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What has helped you to thrive?

For me to get though diagnosis - carrying on as normally as possible. Of course not ignoring the elephant in the room but only giving it a nod to make sure I was aware it, but not giving it my whole life.
Spending time with my family and friends and the occasional cry (breakdown) and few swear words are and remain my coping mechanisms. Positive thinking absolutely helps but if ur busy loving life that comes along... mostly.

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Linsey's Story

Back in 2014, when I was about 25, I went to the doctors for a routine appointment. As I was leaving I asked if he could look at a little dark, itchy spot that was on my scalp. My mum said I should mention (top tip, mums are always right). Luckily my doctor had a keen interest in skin so raised his concerns. Within the week I had a biopsy and diagnosis. It was skin cancer… Melanoma, the deadliest form. I had the ‘freckle’ removed, a few lymph nodes removed from the side of my neck to see if it had spread, it had.  50 lymph nodes and my main shoulder nerve later and I was as far as scans could see, cancer-free.

Fast forward 5 years, I found a lump at the back of my neck (June 2019). IT was back. I am currently having immunotherapy. It’s annoying, it’s infuriating, it’s down right scary, it’s saving my life, but most importantly it’s almost always preventable.